Greg As a Buyer - Decision Maker

Another situation I was in last week. I was the buyer, helping my daughter in her marketing company. The seller was walking me through an E&O (Error & Omissions) insurance policy:

Seller: Okay Greg it sounds like you're good with our E&O plan...
ME: YEAH...I MEAN IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD, BUT I NEED TO TALK WITH KAITY, SHE IS STUCK IN A PHOTO SHOOT THE REST OF THE WEEK..
Seller: So is she the main decision maker?
ME: FOR THE MOST PART...SHE WANTS ME TO REVIEW THE PROPOSALS, THEN SHE'LL MAKE THE DECISION
Seller: Got it...well do you have any questions?
ME: NO...BUT THIS PRICE IS ABOUT 10% HIGHER THAN WHAT I FOUND WHEN I LOOKED IT UP. I'LL SHOW IT TO HER...AND SHE'LL GET BACK TO YOU NEXT WEEK
Seller: Those estimates usually run low, they don't factor everything you all are doing...
ME: OKAY, WELL...I'LL SHOW THIS TO HER AND SHE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU...
Seller: Okay...I'll call her first thing Monday
ME: OK...HEY CAN I GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK? I'VE DONE SALES TRAINING ALL MY LIFE...
Seller: Yeah, sure
ME: OKAY...YOU ASKED SOME OF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS...BUT THERE IS STILL A TON YOU DON'T KNOW. AND I'M NOT BUSTING YOUR CHOPS HERE, YOU'RE CERTAINLY NOT ALONE...THE MAIN THING IS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH INFLUENCE I HAVE IN THIS? IF I CAN KILL IT BEFORE SHE EVER SEES IT? OR ANYTHING ABOUT OTHER PROPOSALS WE'RE CONSIDERING? OR WHAT CRITERIA WE'RE USING TO DECIDE?
Seller: Hmmm...well I just assumed...
ME: YOU JUST SAID THE WORD...ASSUMED IS THE KILLER OF SALES CAREERS...BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS TO WIPE THAT WORD OUT OF YOUR MOUTH...

I spent the next 30 minutes on some of the other things he doesn't know, only because he never asked. Nobody does! That's why this is the sinkhole for most salespeople and sales managers.

To my manager folks out there...do we spend enough time teaching people how buyers are masters of deception, and how they love to hold back the realities of how they make decisions?

Please chime in with some of your thoughts on this...